Five Leadership Styles for Aspiring Principals to Explore

Put two principals in similar schools, and they’ll approach the work differently. One might put a laser focus on developing relationships and collaborating with staff, students, and parents in new ways, while another might focus in immediately on systems and data, using those insights to improve instruction. 

Both principles are working toward the same goal—the success of their school, and by extension, their students—but their leadership styles give insight into how they approach decision-making, problem solving, and generally shape school culture. 

For aspiring principals, this is a call to reflect as you’re working toward the principalship. Considering your own leadership style is one of the key ways you can prepare for the realities of the role. Understanding the types of leadership styles out there, and what blend of those you possess, will help you clarify your strengths and understand opportunities for growth. Above all, it will give you the self-awareness that’s required to step into the principal role with confidence.

So, what kind of leader will you be? While there are countless types and blends of leadership styles, we’ve focused on five key styles below that offer a starting point for reflection as you think about how you’ll lead.

Instructional Leadership: The Foundation for Growth and Achievement

For principals, instructional leadership isn’t a “style” to pick and choose—it’s the bedrock of the role. In his book Visible Learning, John Hattie has this to say about the importance of instructional leadership: “An instructional leader is one who creates a climate that puts learning first for students and adults, has contagious enthusiasm and excitement about learning, creates a climate free of distracters, has clear priorities for instruction, and high expectations for students and teachers.” 

Hattie’s words underscore why instructional leadership matters. It’s not about a single program or initiative, but about setting the tone for how learning happens across your entire school. Instructional leadership shows up in the way principals create systems of support for teachers, carve out time for collaboration, and ensure that every decision connects back to student learning. It’s the throughline that gives purpose to every other leadership style.

Five Leadership Styles to Explore

Transformational Leadership: Inspiring Vision and Change

Transformational leadership has been studied for decades, but its core idea is simple: great leaders don’t just manage—they inspire. They articulate a compelling vision, challenge people to grow, and model the values they want their communities to embody. In schools, transformational leaders set high expectations, rally staff around shared goals, and generate the energy needed for meaningful change.

This leadership style is often described through four essential practices, called “the four I’s: modeling ethical conduct and curiosity (idealized influence), motivating with optimism and purpose (inspirational motivation), welcoming new ideas and perspectives (intellectual stimulation), and supporting individuals with empathy and care (individualized consideration). Together, these practices can turn ordinary leadership into exceptional leadership.

For principals, transformational leadership means staff feel energized, valued, and united around student success. They’re more likely to go above and beyond, think creatively, and see themselves as partners in the school’s future.

• Strengths: Builds enthusiasm, unites teams around vision, and inspires innovation and higher achievement.
• Pitfalls: Risks burnout if expectations are too high or vision isn’t paired with practical support.

Adaptive Leadership: Navigating Uncertainty with Resilience

The only constant in education is change, and yet our brains crave certainty, which makes leading through it especially challenging. The pandemic proved how resilient school communities can be, showing that educators and students can adapt swiftly with creativity and flexibility.

Adaptive leaders see change as an opportunity rather than a setback. They anticipate challenges, listen to diverse voices, and mobilize their communities to experiment, innovate, and move forward together. At its core, adaptive leadership is about resilience—and helping others build it too.

• Strengths: Builds resilience, fosters innovation, and equips schools to meet uncertainty with confidence.
• Pitfalls: Can feel destabilizing, especially if you thrive on predictability; risks creating “change fatigue” without clear priorities.

Servant Leadership: Putting People First

Servant leadership flips the traditional model of authority on its head: leaders serve their communities first. This approach prioritizes empathy, listening, and the well-being of others, building trust and a sense of belonging across the school.

In practice, principals acting as servant leaders empower teachers and staff by providing opportunities to grow, involving them in meaningful decision-making, and fostering collaboration. They model humility and integrity, focus on developing individual strengths, and ensure that students, families, and staff feel supported. At its core, servant leadership is about helping others thrive, because when individuals grow, the entire school community grows with them.

• Strengths: Builds trust, fosters collaboration, and creates inclusive school cultures where everyone feels supported.
• Pitfalls: Can be emotionally demanding and, if misunderstood, perceived as indecisive or lacking authority.
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Inclusive Leadership: Creating Shared Ownership

Principals focused on inclusivity emphasize participation and shared ownership—no matter who might be the most vocal or the most present in the room. They seek input from diverse voices from different parts of the school community, with different lived experiences, and different degrees of familiarity with the school. 

Not only do inclusive school leaders make room for a myriad of voices, they also build the structures that make the collection of those thoughts and ideas possible. That might mean creating environments like teacher leadership teams, family advisory groups, and student councils and anywhere people have the chance to be seen and heard. While this doesn’t always mean that every idea is implemented, it does mean that more voices are invited into the conversation and are considered when making decisions. 

• Strengths: Strengthens trust, builds buy-in, and ensures decisions reflect a wider range of perspectives from the school community.
• Pitfalls: Consensus-building can slow urgent decisions, and if leaders aren’t clear about how final choices are made, it may create frustration when ideas aren’t implemented.

Coaching Leadership: Growing Others Through Feedback and Support

Coaching leaders see their primary role as unlocking potential in others. They provide regular feedback, ask reflective questions, and offer encouragement that helps teachers and staff build confidence and skill.

This style often shows up through instructional coaching cycles, new teacher mentoring, or creating peer-to-peer learning opportunities. Principals who care about coaching are more present in classrooms and team meetings, as it’s the best way to listen, support, and stretch people toward their goals. They also have a laser-focus on professional growth and development because they know it’s critical to grow leadership capacity across the school and develop future principals. 

• Strengths: Builds individual and collective capacity, boosts morale, and strengthens professional practice.
• Pitfalls: Time-intensive and may feel slow if urgent operational issues consistently demand attention.

Leadership Isn’t One Style—It’s a Collection of Them

There’s no single way to lead a school. The most effective school principals draw on a collection of the styles above, leaning into the one that fits the moment while always staying grounded in a commitment to instructional leadership.

The key to making these style shifts is self-awareness. It’s about knowing your natural tendencies, recognizing when a different approach is needed, and letting your intuition guide you to the best way to show up at that moment. 

Leadership, after all, isn’t fixed. It’s a constant practice of balance, adaptability, and growth—qualities that will define how you lead your school forward.